Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Experimental Medicine logoLink to The Journal of Experimental Medicine
. 1994 Mar 1;179(3):961–971. doi: 10.1084/jem.179.3.961

The expression of the interleukin 6 gene is induced by the human immunodeficiency virus 1 TAT protein

PMCID: PMC2191426  PMID: 8113688

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV1) infection is associated with severe psoriasis, B cell lymphoma, and Kaposi's sarcoma. A deregulated production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of these diseases. The molecular mechanisms underlying the abnormal IL-6 secretion of HIV1-infected cells may include transactivation of the IL-6 gene by HIV1. To test this hypothesis, we used the pIL6Pr-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) plasmid, an IL- 6 promoter-CAT construct, as a target of the transactivating function of the HIV1 TAT protein. By cotransfecting the pIL6Pr-CAT and the tat- expressing pSVT8 plasmid in MC3 B-lymphoblastoid or in HeLa epithelial cells, we observed that TAT transactivates the human IL-6 promoter. These results were confirmed when pIL6Pr-CAT was transfected in MC3 or HeLa cells that constitutively expressed the tat gene in a sense (pSVT8 cells) or antisense (pSVT10 cells) orientation. 5' deletion plasmids of pIL6Pr-CAT, in which regions at -658, -287, and -172 were inserted 5' to the cat gene, were transiently transfected in pSVT10 and pSVT8 cells and showed that TAT-induced activation of the IL-6 promoter required a minimal region located between -287 and -54 bp. Moreover, experiments with plasmids carrying the -658, -287, and -172 bp regions of the IL-6 promoter inserted downstream to a TAR-deleted HIV1-LTR identified the sequence of -172 to -54 as the minimal region of the IL-6 promoter required for TAT to transactivate the TAR-deleted HIV1-LTR. By DNA- protein binding experiments, tat-transfected cells expressed a consistent increase in kappa B and nuclear factor (NF)-IL-6 binding activity. Accordingly, the pDRCAT and IL-1REK9CAT, carrying tandem repeats of NF-kappa B or NF-IL6 binding motifs, respectively, were activated in TAT-expressing cells. The biological relevance of the TAT- induced IL-6 secretion was addressed by generating 7TD1 cells, an IL-6- dependent mouse cell line, stably expressing the tat gene. These tat- positive cells expressed the endogenous IL-6 gene, secreted high amounts of murine IL-6, and grew efficiently in the absence of exogenous IL-6. Moreover, the tat-positive 7TD1 cells sustained the growth of parental 7TD1 cells and showed a dramatic increase in their tumorigenic potency. These results suggest that TAT protein may play a role in the pathogenesis of some HIV1-associated diseases by modulating the expression of host cellular genes.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.6 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Akira S., Isshiki H., Sugita T., Tanabe O., Kinoshita S., Nishio Y., Nakajima T., Hirano T., Kishimoto T. A nuclear factor for IL-6 expression (NF-IL6) is a member of a C/EBP family. EMBO J. 1990 Jun;9(6):1897–1906. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb08316.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berkhout B., Gatignol A., Rabson A. B., Jeang K. T. TAR-independent activation of the HIV-1 LTR: evidence that tat requires specific regions of the promoter. Cell. 1990 Aug 24;62(4):757–767. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(90)90120-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Breen E. C., Rezai A. R., Nakajima K., Beall G. N., Mitsuyasu R. T., Hirano T., Kishimoto T., Martinez-Maza O. Infection with HIV is associated with elevated IL-6 levels and production. J Immunol. 1990 Jan 15;144(2):480–484. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brown T. J., Rowe J. M., Liu J. W., Shoyab M. Regulation of IL-6 expression by oncostatin M. J Immunol. 1991 Oct 1;147(7):2175–2180. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Buonaguro L., Barillari G., Chang H. K., Bohan C. A., Kao V., Morgan R., Gallo R. C., Ensoli B. Effects of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat protein on the expression of inflammatory cytokines. J Virol. 1992 Dec;66(12):7159–7167. doi: 10.1128/jvi.66.12.7159-7167.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Caputo A., Sodroski J. G., Haseltine W. A. Constitutive expression of HIV-1 tat protein in human Jurkat T cells using a BK virus vector. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1990;3(4):372–379. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Clouse K. A., Cosentino L. M., Weih K. A., Pyle S. W., Robbins P. B., Hochstein H. D., Natarajan V., Farrar W. L. The HIV-1 gp120 envelope protein has the intrinsic capacity to stimulate monokine secretion. J Immunol. 1991 Nov 1;147(9):2892–2901. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dahl K., Martin K., Miller G. Differences among human immunodeficiency virus strains in their capacities to induce cytolysis or persistent infection of a lymphoblastoid cell line immortalized by Epstein-Barr virus. J Virol. 1987 May;61(5):1602–1608. doi: 10.1128/jvi.61.5.1602-1608.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Desai K., Loewenstein P. M., Green M. Isolation of a cellular protein that binds to the human immunodeficiency virus Tat protein and can potentiate transactivation of the viral promoter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Oct 15;88(20):8875–8879. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.20.8875. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Fauci A. S., Macher A. M., Longo D. L., Lane H. C., Rook A. H., Masur H., Gelmann E. P. NIH conference. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: epidemiologic, clinical, immunologic, and therapeutic considerations. Ann Intern Med. 1984 Jan;100(1):92–106. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-100-1-92. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Gallo P., Frei K., Rordorf C., Lazdins J., Tavolato B., Fontana A. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of the central nervous system: an evaluation of cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid. J Neuroimmunol. 1989 Jul;23(2):109–116. doi: 10.1016/0165-5728(89)90029-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gatignol A., Buckler-White A., Berkhout B., Jeang K. T. Characterization of a human TAR RNA-binding protein that activates the HIV-1 LTR. Science. 1991 Mar 29;251(5001):1597–1600. doi: 10.1126/science.2011739. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Gorman C. M., Moffat L. F., Howard B. H. Recombinant genomes which express chloramphenicol acetyltransferase in mammalian cells. Mol Cell Biol. 1982 Sep;2(9):1044–1051. doi: 10.1128/mcb.2.9.1044. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kim Y. S., Risser R. TAR-independent transactivation of the murine cytomegalovirus major immediate-early promoter by the Tat protein. J Virol. 1993 Jan;67(1):239–248. doi: 10.1128/jvi.67.1.239-248.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kishimoto T., Akira S., Taga T. Interleukin-6 and its receptor: a paradigm for cytokines. Science. 1992 Oct 23;258(5082):593–597. doi: 10.1126/science.1411569. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Laspia M. F., Rice A. P., Mathews M. B. HIV-1 Tat protein increases transcriptional initiation and stabilizes elongation. Cell. 1989 Oct 20;59(2):283–292. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90290-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. LeClair K. P., Blanar M. A., Sharp P. A. The p50 subunit of NF-kappa B associates with the NF-IL6 transcription factor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 Sep 1;89(17):8145–8149. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.17.8145. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Leonard J., Parrott C., Buckler-White A. J., Turner W., Ross E. K., Martin M. A., Rabson A. B. The NF-kappa B binding sites in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat are not required for virus infectivity. J Virol. 1989 Nov;63(11):4919–4924. doi: 10.1128/jvi.63.11.4919-4924.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Levine A. M. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related lymphoma. Blood. 1992 Jul 1;80(1):8–20. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Libermann T. A., Baltimore D. Activation of interleukin-6 gene expression through the NF-kappa B transcription factor. Mol Cell Biol. 1990 May;10(5):2327–2334. doi: 10.1128/mcb.10.5.2327. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Mahoney S. E., Duvic M., Nickoloff B. J., Minshall M., Smith L. C., Griffiths C. E., Paddock S. W., Lewis D. E. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transcripts identified in HIV-related psoriasis and Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. J Clin Invest. 1991 Jul;88(1):174–185. doi: 10.1172/JCI115275. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Miles S. A., Martínez-Maza O., Rezai A., Magpantay L., Kishimoto T., Nakamura S., Radka S. F., Linsley P. S. Oncostatin M as a potent mitogen for AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma-derived cells. Science. 1992 Mar 13;255(5050):1432–1434. doi: 10.1126/science.1542793. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Miles S. A., Rezai A. R., Salazar-González J. F., Vander Meyden M., Stevens R. H., Logan D. M., Mitsuyasu R. T., Taga T., Hirano T., Kishimoto T. AIDS Kaposi sarcoma-derived cells produce and respond to interleukin 6. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Jun;87(11):4068–4072. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.11.4068. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Muraguchi A., Hirano T., Tang B., Matsuda T., Horii Y., Nakajima K., Kishimoto T. The essential role of B cell stimulatory factor 2 (BSF-2/IL-6) for the terminal differentiation of B cells. J Exp Med. 1988 Feb 1;167(2):332–344. doi: 10.1084/jem.167.2.332. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Nair B. C., DeVico A. L., Nakamura S., Copeland T. D., Chen Y., Patel A., O'Neil T., Oroszlan S., Gallo R. C., Sarngadharan M. G. Identification of a major growth factor for AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma cells as oncostatin M. Science. 1992 Mar 13;255(5050):1430–1432. doi: 10.1126/science.1542792. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Nelbock P., Dillon P. J., Perkins A., Rosen C. A. A cDNA for a protein that interacts with the human immunodeficiency virus Tat transactivator. Science. 1990 Jun 29;248(4963):1650–1653. doi: 10.1126/science.2194290. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Oyaizu N., Chirmule N., Ohnishi Y., Kalyanaraman V. S., Pahwa S. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoproteins gp120 and gp160 induce interleukin-6 production in CD4+ T-cell clones. J Virol. 1991 Nov;65(11):6277–6282. doi: 10.1128/jvi.65.11.6277-6282.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Poli G., Bressler P., Kinter A., Duh E., Timmer W. C., Rabson A., Justement J. S., Stanley S., Fauci A. S. Interleukin 6 induces human immunodeficiency virus expression in infected monocytic cells alone and in synergy with tumor necrosis factor alpha by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. J Exp Med. 1990 Jul 1;172(1):151–158. doi: 10.1084/jem.172.1.151. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Pomerantz R. J., de la Monte S. M., Donegan S. P., Rota T. R., Vogt M. W., Craven D. E., Hirsch M. S. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of the uterine cervix. Ann Intern Med. 1988 Mar;108(3):321–327. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-108-3-321. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Ray A., Tatter S. B., May L. T., Sehgal P. B. Activation of the human "beta 2-interferon/hepatocyte-stimulating factor/interleukin 6" promoter by cytokines, viruses, and second messenger agonists. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Sep;85(18):6701–6705. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.18.6701. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Rice A. P., Mathews M. B. Transcriptional but not translational regulation of HIV-1 by the tat gene product. Nature. 1988 Apr 7;332(6164):551–553. doi: 10.1038/332551a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Rosen C. A., Sodroski J. G., Haseltine W. A. The location of cis-acting regulatory sequences in the human T cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III/LAV) long terminal repeat. Cell. 1985 Jul;41(3):813–823. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(85)80062-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Scala G., Quinto I., Ruocco M. R., Arcucci A., Mallardo M., Caretto P., Forni G., Venuta S. Expression of an exogenous interleukin 6 gene in human Epstein Barr virus B cells confers growth advantage and in vivo tumorigenicity. J Exp Med. 1990 Jul 1;172(1):61–68. doi: 10.1084/jem.172.1.61. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Scala G., Quinto I., Ruocco M. R., Mallardo M., Ambrosino C., Squitieri B., Tassone P., Venuta S. Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 transactivates the long terminal repeat of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. J Virol. 1993 May;67(5):2853–2861. doi: 10.1128/jvi.67.5.2853-2861.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Seligmann M., Chess L., Fahey J. L., Fauci A. S., Lachmann P. J., L'Age-Stehr J., Ngu J., Pinching A. J., Rosen F. S., Spira T. J. AIDS--an immunologic reevaluation. N Engl J Med. 1984 Nov 15;311(20):1286–1292. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198411153112005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Shibuya H., Irie K., Ninomiya-Tsuji J., Goebl M., Taniguchi T., Matsumoto K. New human gene encoding a positive modulator of HIV Tat-mediated transactivation. Nature. 1992 Jun 25;357(6380):700–702. doi: 10.1038/357700a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Swaffield J. C., Bromberg J. F., Johnston S. A. Alterations in a yeast protein resembling HIV Tat-binding protein relieve requirement for an acidic activation domain in GAL4. Nature. 1992 Jun 25;357(6380):698–700. doi: 10.1038/357698a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Tada H., Rappaport J., Lashgari M., Amini S., Wong-Staal F., Khalili K. Trans-activation of the JC virus late promoter by the tat protein of type 1 human immunodeficiency virus in glial cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 May;87(9):3479–3483. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.9.3479. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Tanabe O., Akira S., Kamiya T., Wong G. G., Hirano T., Kishimoto T. Genomic structure of the murine IL-6 gene. High degree conservation of potential regulatory sequences between mouse and human. J Immunol. 1988 Dec 1;141(11):3875–3881. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Van Snick J., Cayphas S., Vink A., Uyttenhove C., Coulie P. G., Rubira M. R., Simpson R. J. Purification and NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of a T-cell-derived lymphokine with growth factor activity for B-cell hybridomas. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Dec;83(24):9679–9683. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.24.9679. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Yasukawa K., Hirano T., Watanabe Y., Muratani K., Matsuda T., Nakai S., Kishimoto T. Structure and expression of human B cell stimulatory factor-2 (BSF-2/IL-6) gene. EMBO J. 1987 Oct;6(10):2939–2945. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02598.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Zuker M., Stiegler P. Optimal computer folding of large RNA sequences using thermodynamics and auxiliary information. Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Jan 10;9(1):133–148. doi: 10.1093/nar/9.1.133. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Experimental Medicine are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES